Pneumatic jack



Oct. 14, 11941. H. B. THOMPSON PNEUMATIC JACK Filed Oct. 3, 1940 Aiforney Patented Oct. 14, 194i PNEUMATIC JACK,

' Herbert Bert Thompson, Pittsburgh Pa, assignor of twenty-five per centto Archie H Ward and twenty-five per cent to Samuel J. Bedd, both ofPittsburgh, Pa.

Application October a, 1940,.Serial No. 359,613

' 2 Claims. (c1. 121+) The present inventionrelates to new and usefulimprovements in pneumatic jacks particularly for automobiles and. hasfor its primary object to provide, in a manner-as hereinafter set forth,

a device of this character which is adapted to be I expeditiouslyconnected for actuation to one of the cylinders of the engine of thevehicle when it is desired to raise said vehicle.

Another very important object of the invention is to provide a jack ofthe aforementioned character comprising unique means for positivelysecuring the device in raised or elevated position, thereby greatlypromoting safety.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a jack of the characterdescribed which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong,durable, highly efficient and reliable in use, compact, light in weightand which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of theinvention will become apparent from a study of the followingspecification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing whereinlike characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a jack constructed in accordancewith the present invention, showing the device raised.

Figure 2 is a view principally in vertical section through the devicewith parts omitted.

Figure 3 is a top plan view with parts broken away.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view, taken substantially on the line 44of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a detail view in cross section, taken substantially on theline 55 of Figure 4.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that theembodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a footor base I of any suitable metal. Mounted on the base I is a cylinder 2.The cylinder 2 includes a flanged upper end or head 3 having recesses ornotches 4 therein.

Extending slidably through the upper end 3 of the cylinder 2 is a rod 5.On the lower end of the rod 5 is a piston 6 which is adapted forreciprocation in the cylinder 2. On the upper end of the rod 5 is a seatI which is engageable beneath the vehicle or other object to be raised.

Beneath the seat 'I is a lip or flange 22 the purmunicates with thecylinder 2 at the lower end thereof. as at 9, for raising the piston 6.The air line or pipe 8 comprises a horizontally extending portion Illhaving connected thereto a control valve I I. From the control valve IIthe airline is in the form of a hose which is adapted to belc'onnectedin any suitable-manner to one of the cylinders of the vehicle engine forreceiv-- ing gases therefrom.

Also rising from the foot or base I is a bracket I2 having pivotallymounted thereon for swinging movement in a vertical plane a safety catchl3. The safety catch I3 is in the form of a metallic bar having on itsfree end a slotted head I 4 which is engageable with the lip 22 in themanner suggested in dotted lines in Figure 1 of the drawing forpositively securing the jack in elevated or raised position.

The rod I5 has one end pivotally connected to the catch I3 for raisingand lowering said catch. The rod I5 is bent around the cylinder 2 andhas formed at an intermediate point a loop I6 which is slidablelongitudinally on the horizontal portion ID of the pipe line 8. At itsother end, the rod I5 terminates in a suitable operating handle H whichis located adjacent the control valve II. v I

Mounted on diametrically opposite sides of the cylinder 2 are verticalratchet bars I8. Fixed beneath the seat I and depending therefrom arelegs I9 which are'slidably engaged in the notches or recesses 4 in theflanged cylinder head 3. Mounted on the lower end portions of the legsI9 are pawls 2B which are engageable with the teeth of the ratchet barsI8 for positively supporting the seat I in substantially any desiredadjusted position. Rods 2| are connected to the pawls 28 for disengagingsaid pawls from the ratchet bars I8 when it is desired to lower thejack.

It is thought that the operation of the device will be readily apparentfrom a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, the jack is positionedbeneath the vehicle or other object and the line 8 is connected to oneof the cylinders of the engine of said vehicle. With the engine running,the valve II is opened with the result that gases from the engine areforced into the cylinder 2 and the piston 6, the rod 5 and the seat 'Iare elevated. When the desired elevation has been reached the valve IIis closed and the jack is thus retained in the desired position.However, the pawls 2D ride over the teeth of the ratchet bars l8 andengage therewith for positively securing the jack in raised position.When the mitting the piston 6 to be forced downwardly in the cylinder 2in an obvious manner. The re- What is claimed is:

1. A jack comprising a base, a vertical cylinder mounted on said base, arod extending slidably into the cylinder through the top thereof, apiston on the lower end of said rod operable in the cylinder, 8. seat onthe upper end of the rod, an air line communicating with the cylinderfor introducing air under pressure thereinto for elevating the piston, acontrol valve for said air line, a safety catch pivotally mounted on thebase and engageable with the seat for positively sesilient rod [5 isunder tension at all times dueto the fact that it is bent around thecylinder 2 and slidably connected to the horizontal portion ID of thepipe line 8. In thislmanner the catch It will be frictionally secured inany desired position and will be retained against idle swinging movementwhen not in use. 'This construction and arrangement also keeps thehandle ll-ad jacent the valve H at all times for convenient operation.

It is believed that the many advantages of a jack constructed inaccordance with the present invention will be readily understood andalthough a preferred. embodiment of the device is as illustrated anddescribed, it is to be understood that changes in the details ofconstruction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may beresorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

curing said seat in elevated position, an operating rod having one endpivotally connected to said safety catch, said operating rod including aloop at'an intermediate point slidable on the air line, and a handle onthe other end of the operating rod adjacent the valve.

2. A pneumatic jack comprising a base, a cylinder,for the reception ofair under pressure, rising'from said base, a rod extending slidably intothe upper endof the cylinder, a piston on the lower end of said'rodoperable in the cylinder, a seat on the upper end of the rod, a lipbelow said seat, a'safety catch pivotally mounted for swinging movementin a vertical plane on the base and engageable with said lip forsecuring the seat in elevated position, and means for actuating saidsafety catch.

HERBERT BERT THOMPSON.

